Fluid-pressure regulator.



P; M. GRANT.

FLUID PRESSURE REGULATUH.

APPLICATION r|LEDxuLv15,\915.

Patented Dev. 28, 1915.

UNITED -sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

PATRICK MATHEW GRANT, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF TOCHRISTIAN KUHNLE, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FLUID-PRESSURE REGULATOR.

Bpeclcation of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2S, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK MATHEW GRANT, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFluid-Pressure Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for controlling fluid pressure, and moreparticularly to pressure reducing valves adapted for manual adjustmentand automatic operation to maintain any desired constant pressure in agas feeder or supply system. n

The main objects of the invention are to provide an improved form ofHuid pressure reducing means having steadiness of operation'and freedomfrom fluctuations in discharge pressure such as usually caused byvibration of the movable parts of such devices, especially where thereduction of pressure is large; to provide improved setting means easyto actuate and definite in effect, for the pressure adjusting members;to provide Aan improved form of valve controller or motor membercombining great strength and durability with quick responsiveness topressure variations; and to provide improved damping means for the motoractuated parts of the device.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical axial section onthe line A-A of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line B--Bof Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the combined valveand motor diaphragm, some of the parts being in section to show certaindetails of construction. Fig. 4 is a greatly enlarged axial section ofthe adjustable part or closure member of the valve proper and thesetting means therefor, on the line C-C of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan ofthe adjustable part of the valve proper or seat shown in Fig. 4.

In the construction shown, the reducing valve as a whole comprises acasing or frame 1, having a closed low pressure chamber 2, an inlet port3 for admission of iuid, the pressure of which is to be reduced orregulated, a reciprocatable valve frame 4, having a valve proper 5,coacting with said port, a fluid pressure controlled spring ac.

tuated motor member 6 arranged to assist in supporting said valve frame4 and serving to control automatically the position of the valve proper5 and thereby the degree of opening ofsaid valve port 3 in operation.Said frame 1 cnnpris'ses-` af peripheral body part disposed medially, asupplementary casing or cover 7 secured detachably to its under side,and a detachable cap 8 secured to its upper side, said cover and capbeing threaded to yscrew tightly to the medial or main part. The casing1 has a high pressure inlet 9 leading by arm 10 to the port 3 and a lowpressure outlet 13. A safety plug 15, of usual construction understoodin the art, is also provided to relieve the pressure in the chamber 2 incase of any accident or misadjustment of the valve whereby high pressuremight otherwise occur in said chamber. Provision is made for attaching aHuid pressure gage at 18 as will beunderstood by reference to Fig. 2.Said motor member 6 comprises a fluid tight diaphragm 20 drawn tightlyover and secured to the lower rim of said main casing,and is preferablysoldered thereto around its entire periphery, so as to make a tight andstrong joint. Said rim and diaphragm have overlapping flanges 2l and 22respectively along which the solder is applied. Said diaphragm 20 isfurthermore secured by an upwardly facing annular shoulder 21 on thecover 7, whereby the rim of the diaphragm is clamped tightly betweensaid casing members when the cover 7 is screwed into place.

compression spring 25 reacts between said diaphragm and the lower partof the cover 7 for urging the diaphragm and valve upward against thepressure of the gas in the chamber 2. Means for adjusting the tension ofsaid spring are provided, comprising a screw 27 lnounted coaxially inthe threaded lower extremity of said cover. Said screw 27 has a handle28 to facilitate turning for adjusting the motor tension. A flanged seat30 is disposed between the lower end of said spring and the inner end ofsaid screw to providea bearing for the latter, said seat being aperturedon its under side to receive the conical tip of said screw. The upperend of spring 25 bears against a flanged nut or seat 32, clamped t0 theunder side of diaphragm 20 by means of the shoulder 33 and the threadedprojection of the valve frame 4. The seat flange 37 is somewhat convexon its upper side and vis rounded at the edge so as to avoid any sharpor abrupt bearing edges for the diaphragm to act upon when the latter isforced upward by the spring 25. Vents 39 permit escape of any fluidwhich may leak through or past the diaphragm 20. This leaves the actionof the latter subject only to the frame 4, the spring 25 and the Huidpressure in the casing.

The movable valve member as a whole comprises the frame. 4 which at itslower end is supported by the diaphragm 20 and at its upper end ismounted for reciprocation inwardly and outwardly in the cap 8. Saidframe 4 is of oblong ring shape, as shown in Fig. 3, and has projectionsat opposite ends, the lower projection 35 being secured to thesupporting diaphragm 20 as above described. The upper end 40 is pistonlike and of cylindrical shape and is fitted slidably in said cap 8. Thevalve proper 5 is cylindrical and is mounted coaxally in the end 40 andfaces downwardly to coact with the upwardly facing port 3. The valve 5is cup shaped and is threaded exteriorly for longitudinal adjustment inthe frame 40. The flange 43 of said valve is slotted k longitudinally at44 so as to permit of expansion to grip the surrounding threads of theframe. The bottom of the cup 5 is also slotted at 45 so as to beturnable by means of a screw driver for adjustment of the valve setting.

Expanding means for locking the adjustment are provided, comprising aconical member 47 adapted to fit wedgingly in the upper part of theslotted valve 5. A threaded control nut 48 slotted at 49 for turningwith a screwdriver is swiveled to said conical member 47. Said nut 48 isprovided with a bearing tip 50 projecting downward coaxially in the coneof frustum 47, and said members are provided with a groove 51 and a pin52 in registry therewith to prevent separation. When asssembled. the tip50 bears upon the inner end of the cone, there being sufficientclearness .on all sides and at the top to provide a substantiallyantifriction bearing on said tip 50. The valve 5 is provided with aninterchangeable face plate or block 55 adapted for fitting tightlyagainst and closinar the port 3, hard rubber being suitable. Said porthas an annular face, the edges of which are rounded so as to assure aclose tight fit. The arm 10 is rigid and projects inwardly sulicientlyto hold the port 3 centrally of the casing body and within the valveframe 4. The cap 8 is made fluid tight except for a bv-pass 57connecting the dash pot chamber 58 and the low pressure chamber 2. Saidcap 8 has a bearing flange 59 which if desired may be arranged forpacking. A removable cover 61 gives access to the set screw or nut 48and valve 5 for adjusting purposes.

The terms upper and lower as used herein facilitate reference to thedrawings, it being understood that for the purpose of this descriptionthe device is regarded as being disposed in an upright position asshown.

The operation of the device respecting adjustment and setting is asfollows: The reducing valve as a whole having been assembled andconnected to a high pressure source on one side and to a low pressureservice system on the other side, the valve closure member 5 is adjustedby means ofthe device in the upper part of the valve, so as to close theport 3 when the motor spring 25 is entirely relaxed. For this purposethe cap 61 is taken olf, after which the expanding member 47 is removed.The valve proper 5 is then turned with a screwdriver and driven downwarduntil the valve block 55 bears against and closes port 3. The adjustmentis then fixed by the set means 47 and 48, and the cover 61 is replaced.The discharge pressure may then be adjusted or varied by turning themotor screw 27 in or out to raise and lower the pressure respectively.

In operation, the valve adjustment at the upper end being fixed and thefeed pressure control screw 27 remaining unchanged, any increase ofdischarge at 13 tends to reduce the low pressure at 2. This permits themotor 20 and 25 to raise the valve frame 4 and valve 5 and so admitenough more fluid or increase the rate of supply so as to maintain thepredetermined pressure. lVhen the discharge is out ofl' the pressure at2 tends to increase and the motor 20 and 25 is overcome and the valve 5is closed. When the spring 25 is relaxed any pressure in the chamber 2tends to force the valve tightly closed. The spring 25 tends to overcomesuch pressure, and the screw 27 is turned in suiciently to cause the twopressures to balance at the desired service pressure. In practice thepressure screw 27 may be made for any predetermined pressure so thatwhen turned in its full distance the required pressure will be produced.The longer the screw the greater the pressure resulting on the dischargeside when the screw is turned fully in. For a given low pressure thescrew 27 may be set permanently or until the adjustment in the upperpart of the valve is changed. If it is found at any time that the normalpressure of the valve 5 0n the port 3 is too low to prevent leakage andresultant abnormal high pressure in the chamber 2, the valve setting inthe upper part may be readjusted by screwing the cup 5 farther down. Theadjustment of the valve with respect to the upper end before connectingin a service system may be tested as to contact between the valve- 5 andthe port 3 by blowing or sucking with the breath. If air can be forcedthrough the valve with the mouth the cup 5 should be screwed downfarther. Wherever the re duction of pressure is great there is always atendency to set u a violent vibratlon of the valve, but by thlsinvention such v1bration is overcome and prevented. The damper 57 and 58causes a steady action of the valve strictly according to pressurevariations in the chamber 2. With this improved device the pressure in aservice system may be reduced for instance from 1000 lbs. to 50 lbs.without any appreciable vibration. This steadiness is especiallyadvantageous in changing the valve pressure adjustment by screw 27, asit permits the pressure gage to stand steady and register accurately theexact pressure in the chamber 2. The valve setting means 47 and 48 areentirelyT definite and reliable and do not Work loose or cree inservice. Resetting of these parts is se dom required.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown,it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shownmay be altered or omitted Without departing from the spirit of thisinvention as defined by the following claims.

1. A fluid pressure regulator comprising a closed casing having a lowpressure chamber, a high pressure inlet having a valve port, and a `lowpressure outlet, a valve for said port, means forwactuating said valvecontrolled by the pnessure in said chamber, said valve having a framepart and `an adj ustably entensible port closure screwed into saidframe, said closure having an expansible cylindrical flange, meansthreaded in said frame coaxially with said closure for setting the sameand adapted to expand said flange against said frame, said means havinga wedgingpart and a threaded part swiveled together, said parts coactingwith said flange and said frame respectively.

2. In a device of the class described, a valve mechanism comprising a pot and a port closure, means for moving one f said members with respectto the 'other fo controlling the valve, the moving member h ving areciprocatable part, and means for s ting the adjustment thereof, thesetting mea s comprising a threaded part coacting wi h the moving memberand a conical part, having swivel connection( with each other.

3. ln a device of the class described, a closed casing having a highpressure inlet, an arm projecting inward from said inlet and having anupwardly facing port communicating with said inlet, in combination witha valve frame extending above and below said port, the upper part ofsaid frame having a downwardly facing valve proper threaded therein forvertical adjustment, said valve proper having an upwardly projectinexpansible flange, means for setting the a justment of said valve propercomprising a plug, having a threaded part screwed into said frame gbovesaid valve proper and a wedging part swiveled thereto for expanding saidflange when the plug is screwed down, and automatic means for regulatingsaid valve according to the pressure in said casing.

pressure regulator comprising a closed casing having a valve port, avalve for said port, said valve having a frame, a diaphragm directlyconnected with said frame, and a dash pot having a part of said framefitted therein, said casing having a by-pass communicating with theinteriors of said casing and dash pot, and said diaphragm beingcontrolled by the pressure in said casing.

5. A pressure regulator comprising a casing, a diaphragm closing oneside thereof, a valve having a stem connected to said diaphragm, and aplunger on said stem coperating with a part of said casing to form aretarding dash pot, one of the said coperating parts having a by-passfor said dash pot.

6. A pressure regulator comprising a casing having a port, adiaphragm-controlled valve in said casing for said port, a dash pot, aby-pass connecting said casing and dash potfor cushioning saiddiaphragm.

7. A pressure regulator comprising a casing having a port and adiaphragm, a valve supporting member connected therewith', a valve forsaid port adjustably mounted in said supporting member, a dash-pot forsaid valve and means for locking the valve in adjusted position.

8. A gas pressure regulator, comprising a closed casing having an inletand an out-V let, a valve for said inlet, an adjustable resilientyielding member actuated by gas pressure for controlling said valve, andmeans for damping said adjustable member, said means comprising a closedchamber, a piston therefor carried by said valve, said casing having aby-pass connecting said chamber and the main interior of the casing.

9. A pressure regulator comprising a casing having a port, a tubularvalve supporting member threaded interiorly, an exteriorly threadedvalve cup adjustably mounted in said member, and an exteriorly threadedlocking plug cooperating with said valve cup, one of said parts beingexpansible and the other having a tapered part adapted to expand thesame.

10. A valve mechanism comprising a port and a valve member havingrelative operating movement, said valve member including a cylindricalintero'rly threaded part in com mation with a port closure memberfitting adjustably in-said threadedpart, said closure member having anexpansible flange, and 'locking means for setting said Bange tightly insaid threaded part, said locking means including an apertured wedgemember and a set nut having a shoulder projecting within said wedgemember and bearing on the bottom thereof. 10 igned at Chicago this 12thday of July 19 5.

PATRICK MATHEW GRANT.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,166,358, grantedDecember 28, 1915, upon the application of Patrick Mathew Grant, ofChicago, Illinois,

for an improvement in "Fluid-Pressure Regulators, an error appears inthe printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line41, claim 1, for

the word entensib read extensible; and that the said Letters Patentshould be read with this correction therein that the same may conform tothe record of the case in the Patent Oce.

Signed and sealed this 25th day of January, A. D., 1916.

R. F. WHITEHEAD, Acting C'ommas'ioner of Patente.

